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The NCAA News - News and FeaturesThe NCAA News -- October 12, 1998
Basketball research report submitted to membership
BY LAURIE BOLLIG The NCAA has completed its first comprehensive national research study specifically targeting college basketball fans, and the membership will receive an executive summary of that research this month. The research results, mailed to Divisions I, II and III athletics directors and conference commissioners with copies to Division I senior woman administrators and marketing directors, come one year after the formation of the NCAA basketball marketing subcommittee. Formed in August 1997, the subcommittee's charge was to identify and evaluate marketing and promotion issues related to men's and women's basketball. Carolyn Schlie Femovich, senior associate director of athletics at the University of Pennsylvania, chairs the subcommittee. "In our first meeting more than a year ago, subcommittee members recognized the healthy state of college basketball and its place in higher education," Femovich said. "However, the subcommittee admitted the need to be proactive in protecting and promoting one of the Association's premier sports." The first step in doing so involved a comprehensive research study of college basketball fans. In October 1997, the subcommittee selected two nationally prominent research companies -- The Taylor Research and Consulting Group and ESPN Chilton Sports Poll -- to conduct fan-based research. Focus groups, a nationwide telephone survey and in-arena surveys were used to assess college basketball as it related to: (1) degrees of fan interest and intensity, (2) game attendance, (3) television viewership and (4) licensed product ownership. "While the research data will assist the Association in marketing NCAA basketball, we thought it would also be very useful to member schools and conferences as they plan future promotions for their men's and women's basketball teams," Femovich said. "These key findings also may be helpful to them as they target potential attendees, media partners and corporate sponsors." The research indicates a healthy status for both the men's and women's collegiate game. A total of 47 percent of all consumers age 9-55 consider themselves fans of men's college basketball, while 31 percent of the same group consider themselves fans of the women's college game. On average, men's college basketball trails the National Football League and college football and is on par with the National Basketball Association in fan intensity. Fan intensity for the women's game is on the same level as that of professional soccer and ranks slightly above women's professional basketball. Who the fans are The demographics of college basketball are appealing to corporate America and include persons with higher-than-average incomes and advanced education, college students, African Americans and those with children in the household. The biggest fans of college basketball are those who have the most positive image of the sport across six areas: (1) the level of competition, (2) the perceived character of those involved with the game, (3) the connection with a favorite team, (4) the sense of being part of something bigger than oneself (that is, the community), (5) the experience of the sport as a social event and (6) the intense emotion associated with the game. Increasing the positive image held by more casual fans in each of these areas, according to the research, most likely will move casual fans into the arenas and in front of the television to view games. To encourage fans to increase their intensity level, the findings suggest that member schools need to concentrate on promotion in three areas:
Why do (or don't) fans attend games? The atmosphere, action and excitement of college basketball games draws fans to the arena each November through March. Parking problems, poor seat location and no access to instant replay turn fans off to attending games. Those people who never go to college basketball games cite lack of time and interest as reasons they don't attend games. Regular-season game attendees traditionally include college students, younger fans, more males than females, highly educated people and those with higher incomes. Game attendees typically watch more college basketball than non-attendees do and they are much more likely to have participated in the game to some degree when they were younger. "The subcommittee was not surprised to hear that fans attending our games participated in basketball in some fashion when they were younger," Femovich said. "We've always felt like getting youth to participate in basketball at an early age would make them fans for life. This research clearly supports that notion." The research suggests several short- and long-term strategies for increasing attendance at regular-season games and, in turn, strengthening NCAA basketball. Short-term strategies include:
Long-term strategies include:
NCAA basketball on television While boosting regular-season attendance is the basketball marketing subcommittee's priority, research data gathered about the television viewing habits of NCAA basketball fans contributes some useful information for member schools and conferences negotiating television contracts. According to the Taylor research report, only the biggest NCAA basketball fans watch games regularly on television. In fact, interest in regular-season games is virtually nonexistent among those who consider themselves casual fans or slightly interested in the sport. Regular-season television viewing is even more scarce for women's games. Nearly one of every 10 fans of the women's games say they don't watch because they can't find games on television. Fans are unwilling to give up the time and aren't that interested in watching regular-season games on television. They see no connection between the regular season and postseason tournament games. "We've seen research data and television ratings that suggest that the popularity of college basketball is at an all-time high during the NCAA tournament each March," Femovich said. "The challenge is to extend that popularity -- backward if you will -- so that conference tournaments and regular-season games are considered important factors leading up to the NCAA championship." As with in-arena attendance, the research summary suggests several short-term and long-term strategies for increasing television viewership. The short-term strategies include:
Long-term efforts include making the regular season more meaningful to fans by promoting the connection to postseason tournaments. Promotional plan The second phase of the basketball marketing subcommittee's plan is to develop a 1998-99 promotional plan for NCAA Basketball. The subcommittee directed Host Communications, Inc., to develop a plan that would have as its priority increasing regular-season attendance. When the promotional plan is complete, a copy will be forwarded to the membership with information about what is being done at the national level to promote NCAA basketball. "It is critical to have the support of promotional efforts at the institutional and conference levels because NCAA basketball can only be as good as its members," Femovich said. "The NBA has one office that literally drives promotional policy for every team. The NCAA structure doesn't allow a particular committee or the national office to develop policy to which all 1,000-plus members are bound. It's up to constituencies to buy into the idea of promoting NCAA basketball to guarantee its strength in the future."
Basketball Marketing Subcommittee TimelineAugust 1997 -- Basketball marketing subcommittee formed and members named from various basketball constituencies. September 1997 -- Subcommittee holds its first meeting and outlines its purpose and charge. October 1997 -- Two companies -- The Taylor Research and Consulting Group and ESPN Chilton Sports Poll -- are selected by the subcommittee to conduct an extensive research study of college basketball fans. March 1998 -- Press conferences are held at the Final Four and Women's Final Four sites to provide the media with highlights of the research to date, to present challenges facing college basketball and to inform the media of plans to develop a promotional plan for the sport. April 1998 -- The Taylor Group presents its final report of the basketball research study to the subcommittee. June 1998 -- The marketing committee of the NCAA Division I Business/Finance Cabinet approves guiding principles for the proposed promotional plan. August 1998 -- Host Communications, Inc., presents its proposed promotional plan to the subcommittee. The subcommittee directs HCI to provide an action plan, outlining specific promotional activities tied to the "My Team" theme. September 1998 -- Basketball research mailed to the NCAA membership (all three divisions), conference commissioners, the NABC and WBCA members and various other constituencies. October 1998 -- NCAA Basketball promotional efforts begin. Public relations elements highlight the introduction, including development of key message points for NCAA coaches to deliver to fans, media and alumni during the preseason, regular season and postseason.
NCAA Basketball Marketing Subcommittee
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